Low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration can prevent stem cells from becoming adipocytes — in mice.
Exercise and diet are the only tried-and-true ways of losing body fat and building bone and muscle. So far, no "silver bullet" drugs have been developed that achieve the same effect in humans, although many promising candidates are in testing (e.g., Journal Watch Dec 28 2006).
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, or myocytes. A multicenter team found that, in vitro, mechanical signals could prompt MSCs to develop primarily into osteoblasts and myocytes rather than into adipocytes. The team then tested whether they could achieve the same effect in vivo. They built a platform that produced very low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration, and placed mice on this platform for 15 minutes daily, 5 days each week, for 15 weeks. This "treatment" reduced adipogenesis by 27%, free fatty acid levels by 43%, and triglyceride levels by 39% in treated mice compared with controls — with no alteration of feeding or other behavior. Additional studies showed that the reduced adiposity was caused by fewer MSCs differentiating into adipocytes.
Comment: A novel, simple, and probably benign "treatment" — low-magnitude mechanical signals — helps mice to avoid fat and build bone and muscle. Additional testing will be necessary to determine whether the same effect can be achieved in humans and to ascertain the durability of the effect.
Published in Journal Watch General Medicine November 15, 2007
Rubin CT et al. Adipogenesis is inhibited by brief, daily exposure to high-frequency, extremely low-magnitude mechanical signals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007 Nov 6; 104:17879.